The Sabbath | Abraham Joshua Heschel
Technical civilization is man’s conquest of space.
It is a triumph frequently achieved
by sacrificing an essential ingredient of existence,
namely, time.
Most of us seem to labor for the sake of things of space.
As a result we suffer from a deeply rooted dread of time
and stand aghast when compelled to look into its face.
But things of space are not fireproof;
they only add fuel to the flames.
Is the joy of possession an antidote to the terror of time
which grows to be a dread of inevitable death?
The higher goal of spiritual living
is not to amass a wealth of information,
but to face sacred moments.
Every hour is unique
and the only one given at the moment,
exclusive and endlessly precious.